What are your top three priorities for the next legislative session?
Addressing the climate emergency. From school closures, forest fires and reduced snowfall, the climate emergency is affecting everyone and we have to ensure we meet our carbon reduction goals.
Ensuring that everyone has accessible and affordable health care inclusive of mental health care and reproductive rights.
Ensuring the dignity of work from fair wages, instituting paid family and medical leave and protection from discrimination.
The chamber may see split Democrat-Republican control next year. On what issues do you see common ground with the opposite party?
Last year half of my bills were run with Republican co-prime sponsors I believe that we can work together on small business support, land conservation and increasing health care access.
What perspective or background would you bring to the chamber that is currently missing?
This summer I went to the hospital in heart and lung failure due to an autoimmune disease. As a result, I now have a port IV to my heart delivering continuous life-saving medication. Being diagnosed by a fantastic medical team and getting treated immediately means I feel better than I have in years. However, navigating the medical system has not been easy and continues to take hours of work to garner the care I need. Many of my constituents face chronic care needs and now I am living that experience and understand the work it takes to ensure accessible and affordable health care.
What more can the state legislature do to ease housing costs across Colorado?
Every individual deserves a safe home. We need to continue to fund affordable housing, expand incentives for affordable housing and partner with local communities on solutions. Additionally, we need to look at land use decisions and how we can make sure we are planning for a future with more affordable housing options.
Do you support the current law on fentanyl possession and resources for treatment?
I voted for that law and believe that we must treat addiction with compassion, understanding and the science we know that works for people facing this challenge. Too many people are struggling and further criminalization will not make people safe but expanding treatment, services, and intervention will and that is where need to focus resources.
Melody Peotter has not returned the questionnaire.
How candidate order was determined: A lot drawing was held at the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office on Aug. 3 to determine the general election ballot order for major and minor party candidates. Colorado law (1-5-404, C.R.S.) requires that candidates are ordered on the ballot in three tiers: major party candidates followed by minor party candidates followed by unaffiliated candidates. Within each tier, the candidates are ordered by a lot drawing with the exception of the office of Governor and Lt. Governor, which are ordered by the last name of the gubernatorial candidate.
